Truth!

For Saturday, September 30, 2023:

Romans 9:26 NLT: “Then, at the place where they were told, ‘You are not my people,’ there they will be called ‘children of the living God.’”

Paul is quoting God’s word through the prophet Isaiah. It sounds like God’s changing his mind, but it’s the people who have changed. Because of disobedience and lack of faith, the Israelites would be scattered, and only a remnant would remain. In fact, for a great many years, there was no nation of Israel.

Then the people repented and returned to the Lord, and in 1948 the State of Israel was declared out of Palestine to be its own country. You see, God had been given a place of honor in his children’s lives, a priority he should have had all along.

The point is that God is always true to his word. What was prophesied in about 700 BC played out in 1948 AD. God’s promises are always true, and the Bible is full of truth. What seems to take a long time by our standards is perfect timing on God’s calendar.

Believers need not worry about God’s promise of salvation. Do not be impatient! When God’s timing is perfect, we’ll all get to see heaven from the inside! That’s what Jesus said!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship

Confidence in God!

For Friday, September 29, 2023:

Psalm 55:16 NIV: “As for me, I call to God, and the Lord saves me.”

David was declaring his confidence in the Lord. Although his life consisted of one crisis after another, God would time-after-time rescue him. Others would see God rescue David from impossible situations, so then they would want to learn about David’s God.

This is how the original church, The Way, grew by leaps and bounds. People saw kindness and love, people caring for one another. They liked what they saw and wanted to learn about it and become a part of that community.

If your home church is not attracting others, you can be a part of the solution. We should live our lives following the example of Jesus, and that love, caring and kindness will draw others in. They will want what we have!

"In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5:16)

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship

Family of God!

For Thursday, September 28, 2023:

Romans 9:25 NLT: “Concerning the Gentiles, God says in the prophecy of Hosea, ‘Those who were not my people, I will now call my people. And I will love those whom I did not love before.’”

Most of us came to Christianity as Gentiles, in other words not from Judaism. But we believers have been adopted into God’s Holy Family, and our Father calls us his children. Gentile believers have all the rights, privileges and benefits given to any other child of God.

And we have responsibilities too. We should lead our Christian communities according to God’s value system, stressing kindness, a helpful nature and loving our neighbors. Outsiders see that behavior, are attracted to it, and the church grows. People want what we have. We’re to share the Good News with all nations, giving as many as possible the opportunity to accept Jesus as their savior.

He is our God, and we are his family!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship

Chosen!

For Wednesday, September 27, 2023:

Romans 9:16 NLT: “It is God who decides to show mercy. We can neither choose it nor work for it.”

We are saved by grace, by God’s mercy. God designed us, and knew us in our mother’s womb. And way back then, he called many to become children of God, to be adopted into the Holy Family. God gave us free choice, so must say yes to his invitation.

We are not called according to our good and bad works. We can’t “earn” our way into God’s favor, nor can we be disqualified. We have already been chosen.

God explained to Moses that he can show mercy and compassion to anyone he chooses. If you’re reading this, odds are that you were hand-picked by God himself!

Rejoice that you were culled for the Kingdom!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship

Acts of God!

For Tuesday, September 26, 2023:

Psalm 46:1 NLT: “God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble.”

Natural disasters are often called “Acts of God,” when “Acts of Satan” might be more correct. God did not yet end the Devil’s reign on earth, so we become unwitting witness to his evil efforts. The Bible speaks of earthquakes, flooding rains and surging oceans, and that’s certainly not an exhaustive list.

In addition to the natural disasters, people live in the midst of fighting and wars. Wars result in nations of poverty and famine, often many miles away. Example: Russia invaded Ukraine, whose grain was feeding a lot of Africa. Now people in Africa who know nothing of the war are starving. Jesus said that there would be wars and rumors of wars until he returns. In other words, the world will be one big mess until Jesus shows up again.

So right there we’ve been given the answer: More God, more Jesus. God is our refuge, strength and hope. And Jesus will lead us to victory in the world’s final war.

Don’t be fooled by those headed down the wrong path. Satan represents weakness and defeat. Always stick with the winners!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship

Imitate Jesus!

September 25, 2023 Monday Message:

Philippians 2:12b NLT: “Work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear.”

Did you just hear about Jesus or were you changed for the better? True believers have been radically transformed into different, better persons than the ones who first heard the Gospel.

Christians do their best to imitate the life of Jesus, loving their neighbors and being helpful and encouraging. I should point out that before Jesus, most people were just out for themselves. This practice of being helpful and nice was new. But people witnessed this changed behavior and liked what they saw. They wanted to join in. They wanted what the believers had, which was a much better life following the example of Jesus. So sign them up!

Paul’s message teaches us to be intentional about this reformed behavior. Go out of your way to show kindness. Figure out what you could do that would be helpful, and do it on purpose. Do your best to imitate the “Jesus model” for life.

Lead by example and others will follow!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship

Citizens of Heaven!

For Sunday, September 24, 2023:

Philippians 2:5 NLT: “You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.”

Just becoming a Christian isn’t the end of change in our lives. We need to also be intentional about living like Jesus lived. Paul writes about love, fellowship, compassion and tender hearts. He counsels the church in Philippi to agree wholeheartedly with one another and to work together with one mind and purpose. Get on the same page, y’all! Being selfish is off limits, and don’t think more highly of yourself than you ought. Caring for others should be high on your agenda.

Last Friday I live-streamed a message for Jesus In the City Fellowship, where I challenged viewers to picture heaven in their mind’s eye, asking, “What does it look like,” and, “What are the people doing?” Turns out they were all nice, helpful and loving their neighbors. They had smiles on their faces and a good attitude in their hearts. And Paul is counseling believers everywhere to live like citizens of heaven.

My best advice is to live like Jesus lived! Blessings as we worship today!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship

God's Unending Love!

For Saturday, September 23, 2023:

Romans 8:38a NLT: “I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love.”

Before Adam and Eve sinned, there was no religion in the world. There was only God the Creator. But the couple had been promised by the devil himself that they too could be like God. Regrettably, they took the bait. Suddenly there was unworthy competition for heaven’s throne, and sin had entered the world. Now God needed to make his laws and his value system known, so now we have religion.

Like any proud parent, God was disappointed when his children let him down, but the incident did not extinguish his love for us. God went so far as to send his own Son to pay the price for the sins of the world, so that we could join him in the hereafter. That’s how much God loves us! Paul goes on to say, “Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love.” His list is extensive but not exhaustive. In fact, nothing can separate us from God’s love.

Paul concludes v39: “No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship

Unshakable Love!

For Friday, September 22, 2023:

Romans 8:35a NLT: “Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love?”

The fact is that God’s mind is made up! He loves mankind, his premiere creation, unconditionally, like a parent loves their children and always welcomes them home. And with God’s mind set on that goal, nothing can separate us from the love of God and his Son.

Scripture goes on to say that Satan will persist in throwing roadblocks in our path, things that might deter us but will never stop God. Trouble, calamity persecution, hunger, being without resources, danger, even threatened with death — those are the devil’s tools. But God and his Son are persistent and they are of one mind. Their goal is to bring mankind back home to heaven, as many as are willing to come!

The paragraph concludes v37: “Despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.”

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship